Mayoral candidates attend forum

Mayoral candidates, from left: Thomas Ratliff, Tracy Craig and Corey Amerson

By LOU ANTONELLI
Editor-in-Chief

Mount Pleasant voters face some important decisions in this year’s Saturday May 4th election.
There are three candidates running for mayor in the wake of the decision of Paul Meriwether to retire. There are also contests for two other seats on the city council.

Additionally, the Mount Pleasant school district is asking voter approval for a $55 bond issue.

The Tri-County Press hosted a Candidates Forum the evening of April 15 at the Mount Pleasant Civic Center. The well-attended annual event, hosted by Tri-County Press Publisher Sonya Roberts-Woods, saw all the candidates attend.

In an effort to help voters make an informed choice in this election, Mount Pleasant for Real is publishing a series of articles based on the candidates’ appearance that evening.

We continue today with the race for mayor, which features Thomas Ratliff, Tracy Craig and Corey Amerson.
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In his introduction, Amerson touted his business background and said he is an “operational-minded leader.” He said Mount Pleasant needs more money, and increased business would generate more sales tax.

Craig said he’s a 1986 Mount Pleasant High School graduate and then served 20 years in the military. He was Operations Desert Shield, Desert Strom, and Iraqi Freedom. He has a degree in sociology from Texas A&M University.

Ratliff said public service is a family tradition; his father served 15 years as a state senator, and he served on the State Board of Education.

He said he said he is running for mayor to come back home. “I’m a team builder, and an ambassador for Mount Pleasant,” he said.

When asked if they would devote the time needed to be mayor, Amerson said he is self-employed and always available. Craig said he is retired and would always be available. Ratliff said that – despite some “Facebook rumors” that he actually lives in Austin – he lives in Mount Pleasant (935 Alexander Street), is self-employed and is always available.

When asked their position on term limits, Amerson said it up to the office holder top convince the voters to keep them in office. Craig said it is possible for an office holder “to hold onto a seat for too long” and not give the next generation a chance.

Ratliff said he “trust the ballot box” and voters get to make decision on the mayor’s every two years. He added that when there is a large turnover there is a loss of “institutional knowledge” and that in turn “empowers the staff”.

When asked how they would create better and higher paying jobs, Amerson said bigger companies are reluctant to locate in Mount Pleasant “because there’s not much to do here” for the employees. Craig said he agreed with Amerson, while Ratliff said the city needs more tax incentives for industry.

“You can’t grow the economy on retail jobs,” he said.

When asked why the love Mount Pleasant, Amerson said he grew up here and has made a lot of memories. Craig also said he grew up here “and there is nothing like home.” Ratliff said it is because of his family.

When asked what they would want to implement as mayor, Amerson said the city needs for income and business investment. Craig said the city needs to be more attractive to business, “we need jobs that actually pay real money.”

Ratliff said that while he wants to be active, Mount Pleasant has a weak mayor form of government. The mayor should not be a “busy body, injecting himself everywhere,” he said.

When asked if they supported the city’s decision to spend $9 million on a new park, Amerson said “I would have waited.”

Craig said he feels the city should have been more transparent and the “voters should have been better informed before spending that large an amount.”

Ratliff said he felt there should be some “threshold” that would require a public vote.

When asked if they support the city manager, Amerson said “I think he’s used resources well, and made do with what we’ve got.”

Craig said he doesn’t know, “I’ve not been a part of the process.”

Ratliff said he doesn’t believe in being a “Monday morning quarterback.”

“By and large,” he added, “I don’t have any complaints.”